India’s vast road network, covering over 6.3 million km, serves as the backbone of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, fuelling economic growth and regional integration. Recognising the significance of a robust road network, the central government has initiated a range of programmes to modernise and expand road infrastructure, supported by increased budgetary allocations. These initiatives aim to improve road quality, safety and connectivity, ultimately enhancing economic productivity. Key programmes such as Bharatmala Pariyojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North East (SARDP-NE), the Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas Scheme, and Parvatmala Pariyojana for ropeways reflect a holistic approach to building resilient and sustainable road networks.
In recent years, the country has seen remarkable progress in road development, with policy mandates and innovative strategies led by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, National Highways Authority of India and the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). The progress under these initiatives highlights the transformative impact of improved road infrastructure on logistics efficiency and India’s economic growth.
Progress under Bharatmala Pariyojana
Bharatmala Pariyojana is one of India’s largest road development initiatives. As of March 2024, the project has resulted in the construction of 17,411 km of roads and the awarding of 26,425 km, enhancing state connectivity and trade routes across the country.
Additionally, this scheme has significantly expanded the national highway network, boosting the length of high speed corridors 12-fold and four-lane roads by 2.6 times between 2014 and 2024. Phase I of the Bharatmala Pariyojana is expected to be completed by 2027-28. Under the Vision 2047 plan, Bharatmala aims to provide access to high speed corridors within 100-150 km to all citizens.
Projects under Bharatmala Pariyojana utilise advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and sustainability across specific corridors. For instance, the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has extensively employed drones and geospatial mapping for land surveying, reducing the time and cost typically associated with such tasks. It has also integrated drone monitoring, solar-powered lighting systems and rainwater harvesting to enhance longevity and sustainability. In the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg, GPS-enabled monitoring systems have been implemented to track freight movement in real time, significantly improving logistics efficiency by reducing delays.
On the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, intelligent traffic management systems have been deployed, offering features like electronic toll collection, automatic incident detection and real-time traffic updates. This has helped optimise traffic flow, prevent congestion and enhance road safety, setting a benchmark for smart highway projects across India.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
The PMGSY, launched in 2000, is a major rural infrastructure initiative aimed at providing all-weather road connectivity to previously unconnected villages and hamlets. Since its inception, the PMGSY has led to the construction of 765,601 km of roads out of a sanctioned 810,250 km, significantly improving access to essential services and fostering economic growth in rural areas. In August 2024, PMGSY Phase IV, with an outlay of Rs 701.25 billion, has received approval to run from 2024-25 to 2028-29 and aims to provide robust connectivity to approximately 25,000 unconnected rural habitations. This phase will also focus on building and upgrading bridges, enhancing rural accessibility further.
As of July 26, 2024, the total expenditure under this initiative stands at Rs 3,241.86 billion. It incorporates advanced technologies and sustainable practices to enhance rural road connectivity. Geosynthetics are utilised in areas prone to landslides, floods and waterlogging, where geotextiles improve soil stabilisation and road durability, especially in hilly terrain. To connect remote rural areas, the programme employs prefabricated modular bridges, which are quick to assemble, eco-friendly and reduce on-site construction, thereby minimising environmental impact. By March 2025, the government aims to construct an additional 125,000 km of roads under PMGSY III, with a strong focus on eco-friendly methods and improving road safety to reduce accidents and fatalities in rural areas.
Green National Highway Corridors Project
In August 2024, the Indian government and the World Bank signed an agreement for the Green National Highway Corridors Project, spanning 781 km across Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Supported by a $500 million World Bank loan, the project integrates green technologies, plastic waste in road construction, rainwater harvesting for groundwater recharge, and bioengineering for slope stabilisation.
Road development in the Northeast region
Over the past ten years, approximately 9,984 km of national highways have been constructed in the north-eastern region at a cost of around Rs 1,075.04 billion. The government allocates 10 per cent of its total budget to this region, supporting its economic integration and development through initiatives such as the Trans-Arunachal Highway from Tawang to Kanubari, the Frontier Highway in Arunachal Pradesh, the Pradhan Mantri Development Initiative for North Eastern Region, the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS), SARDP-NE, and Bharatmala I. In 2024-25, 78 km of national highway lenght has been built till May 2024, with Rs 28.59 billion spent till June 2024. Under NESIDS, five projects worth Rs 3.70 billion have been recently sanctioned, enhancing connectivity in Assam, Sikkim and Manipur, benefiting numerous villages.
As of July 2024, 5,468 km of roadworks have been sanctioned under the SARDP-NE programme at a cost of Rs 635.42 billion, with 3,699 km completed. Under Bharatmala, 2,767 km of projects have been sanctioned at Rs 643.19 billion, with 272 km completed. Currently, around 265 national highway projects spanning 5,055 km are under way at Rs 1,188.94 billion, reflecting a comprehensive commitment to regional development in the Northeast.
Looking ahead
The national highway network has grown 1.6 times from 2014 to 2024, with the average construction pace rising to 34 km per day. During this period, the government awarded six multimodal logistics parks with a total investment of Rs 25.05 billion, and seven more are planned for 2024-25. Electric vehicle infrastructure is also advancing, with over 5,000 charging stations operational along national highways.
With these advances, the progress in the sector has helped the country climb from Rank 54 in 2014 to 38 in 2023 on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index.
As the government continues to invest heavily in these initiatives, the future looks promising, not only in terms of connectivity but also in the economic opportunities they will unlock. It is clear that collaboration between the government, private sector and other stakeholders has been crucial in achieving these objectives. With the right policies and innovations, India’s road infrastructure will continue to evolve, providing the backbone for a prosperous and resilient nation.